A visitor to the Palazzo Maffei in Verona, Italy, accidentally damaged a unique art installation by Nicola Bolla after falling onto the piece while attempting to take a photo. The artwork, known as the “Van Gogh” chair and covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals, was severely bent and crushed when the visitor lost balance and landed heavily on it.
Security footage released by the museum on June 12 shows a woman balancing atop the chair as a man photographs her. When the couple switches positions, the man appears to lose his footing and tries to steady himself by grabbing the wall but ultimately crashes onto the chair.
The impact crushed the chair’s front legs and dented its seat. Following the incident, both individuals quickly left the gallery without reporting the damage or speaking to museum staff.
Named after Vincent van Gogh’s 1888 painting “Chair,” Bolla’s artwork is a hollow structure held together with foil and displayed on a low pedestal with clear signage warning visitors not to touch it. Museum director Vanessa Carlon condemned the incident, emphasizing the reckless pursuit of photos over respecting artworks. “Sometimes we lose our brains to take a picture, and we don’t think about the consequences,” she stated. “Of course it was an accident, but these two people left without speaking to us—that isn’t an accident. This is a nightmare for any museum.”
The damage occurred in spring, and although authorities were informed, no suspects have been identified. Palazzo Maffei has since repaired the chair at its own cost and reinstated it behind Plexiglas to prevent future incidents. While the museum has not disclosed the chair’s monetary value, Carlon noted that the episode has drawn increased public attention to the piece. She remains hopeful the visitors responsible will come forward with an apology, describing such a gesture as “nice.”
The museum continues to share the CCTV footage on its Facebook page as a cautionary reminder for visitors to respect and protect the artworks on display.
